5 Great Family Volunteer Ideas

Family volunteer projects are a great way to bring the family closer together, teach your children about giving to others, and help out a nonprofit by doing some good in the world. Here are a few ideas to jump-start your family volunteer mission.

1. Preparing care packages

Care packages are a handy family project because you can buy supplies and then pack items at home under close supervision. Depending on the time of year, a number of different care package options are available.

Your kids may be interested in packing for other children in developing nations, or for soldiers on active duty. Local care packages for the elderly or others in need may also be a possibility, especially around the holidays.

2. Setting up a booth

Is it summertime? Create a booth to sell lemonade and raise a small collection of money. In winter, set up booths to sell hot cider or coffee. Then your family can use the money to support a local charity.

Involve your kids in the process as much as possible, from making and selling the drinks to picking out the best charity to sponsor. You can also sell baked goods or handcrafted items.

3. Volunteer at a local shelter

Spend some volunteer time at a local shelter that offers kid-friendly (or teen-friendly) tasks. Pet shelters may be an especially attractive option for younger children.

Homeless shelters, social service organizations and similar operations may also need help with a wide variety of tasks that families can tackle. Try to create a regular schedule that lets you visit a favorite shelter at least once a month.

4. Collect important items

Plenty of nonprofit organizations need willing families to help out by collecting certain items. If your local library has a book drive, you can collect books. Other nonprofits collect seeds, cleaning supplies, clothes, toys, nonperishable foods, and many other items. This can easily tie in with a house organization project; just make sure that your donations are of high quality.

5. Adopt an area

For a long-term project, adopt a local area and work to keep it clean. Make regular trips to keep paths clear, get rid of trash, and maybe even play around a little, too.

The best location will depend on where you live. A stretch of beach works great if you live near the ocean. Popular hiking trails or lake shores are another option. If you live the city life, adopt a local park to help teach your family responsibility and improve the community at the same time.

Anna is a freelance writer and researcher from the Olympia, WA area who loves to obsess about weird topics and then write about them. When she isn't writing, she is outside on her bike and comtemplating her eventual trip to graduate school.